This volume provides a comprehensive analysis of the macro- and micro-level issues associated with agrarian distress. It analyses structural, institutional, and policy changes, highlighting the failure of public support system in agriculture. The crisis manifests itself in the form of deceleration in growth and distress of farmers. The case studies from Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, and Punjab bring out the diversity of conditions prevalent in the states.

Papers presented at the National Seminar on Agrarian Distress in India.

India is among the fastest developing countries of the world. However, a major percentage of its population (60 to 70%) still depends on agriculture and its allied activities. Though many policies have been introduced to enhance its agriculture sector, it still faces a lot of challenges. In recent times the state of Andhra Pradesh, one of the major food grain producing states, has had the highest number of farmer suicides in the country, with Warangal witnessing the highest number amongst the districts in the state. This book attempts to figure out the various socio-economic reasons behind the agrarian crisis prevailing in that district and suggests some remedies to control the situation.

This volume is the twelfth in the series ‘Land Reforms in India’. The essays in this volume bring out the multi-dimensional aspects of the agrarian crisis, and its impact on farmers’ suicides leading to public policy. A distinctive feature of this collection is its holistic approach towards viewing farm sector distress, instead of looking for isolated causes and solutions.

Written in 1934, Agrarian Crisis in India by Rajani Palme Dutt is a scholarly and incisive analysis of the agricultural economy and the plight of Indian farmers during the great depression. This new edition of Dutt's lucid presentation of the causes of the ongoing decline in agricultural output and potential in India as a result of British policies of free trade and financial manipulation can be digested readily by readers in the early 21st century who, the world over, are familiar with - because they are subject to - the same methods.

According to the Fifth Annual Employment-Unemployment Survey of the Ministry of Labour and Employment, 45.7 percent of India's workforce in 2014-15 was employed in agriculture. Around 13 to 14 percent of India's national income originates from the agricultural sector. Agricultural sector, thus, occupies a key position in the Indian economy, at least in terms of employment. Regrettably, agricultural sector in India has been witnessing loss of dynamism in recent years. The sector, as a whole, has showed poor performance lately. Signs of agrarian distress are visible in parts of the country. The spate of suicides by farmers in some areas is the most disconcerting manifestation of this distress. Marginal and small farmers have borne the brunt of the adverse circumstances in agriculture. Agricultural crisis has increased overtime due to a number of reasons but mainly owing to widening disparities between agricultural and non-agricultural sectors, resulting in burgeoning gap between the incomes generated per worker from the two sectors. Concerned by the slow growth in the agriculture and allied sectors, the Government of India has launched a series of programmes/schemes in recent years to rejuvenate agriculture and improve farm incomes. These, inter alia, have included the following: Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY) Pradhan Mantri Kisan SAMPADA Yojana Doubling Farmers Income by 2022-23 Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana (PMKSY) Farm Loan Waivers Under National Agriculture Market (e-NAM), farmers can sell their produce on the internet. e-NAM is envisaged as a pan-India electronic trading portal which seeks to network the existing agricultural produce market committees (APMCs) and other market yards to create a unified national market for agricultural commodities. e-NAM is a virtual market but it has a physical market (mandi) at the back end. India's future agricultural development will require much faster crop diversification in view of changes in consumption pattern. There is growing preference for milk and milk products, meat, poultry, fish, fruits and vegetables. Areas like horticulture and floriculture also hold promise as they have higher export potential. Accelerating the rate of growth of agricultural production must be seen as central to a more inclusive growth. It is imperative that the problems of farmers are addressed with a sense of urgency. The present work focuses on the issues and concerns impacting the Indian agriculture. More importantly, it explains the key reform measures undertaken in recent years to mitigate agrarian distress, modernize agriculture and improve the economic conditions of the farmers, particularly small and marginalized ones.